I’ve become addicted… to a soap opera! Another writer (don’t know whether to curse or thank D.R. Ransdell!) got me hooked on Grey’s Anatomy, that long-lasting medical drama. She told me the scriptwriters know how to create suspense, and she was right. If you have difficulty getting your characters in deeper and deeper trouble, you might want to watch a few episodes. But careful–it’s addictive.
When I’m not too caught up in the drama, I’ve considered what writing lessons I might glean.
- Characters are critical. Every member of the cast, series regulars (who change often) and the majority of the patients, even those with brief appearances, is distinct. Especially for the doctors and interns, each has a past, often with secrets that are revealed in the plot, and each of their lives evolves through the story. There’s a change in each episode (scene), even if minor, and major changes throughout the series. It’s wanting to know what happens to the characters that keeps me coming back. (Also, I get to watch the show while exercising, so wanting to stay fit keeps me watching!)
- Tell it like it’s real and you’ll grab your audience. The hospital in the show is like no hospital in real life, but the scripts and the actors make us believe it is. Great description makes a book jump from the page to a reader’s heart.
- Keep surprising your audience: In Grey’s Anatomy, just when I expect someone to survive, they die, and the truly “doomed” escape death. But in the end, good generally triumphs over evil.
- The show deals with the tensions of real life—gender identity, racism, harassment—but I rarely feel preached to. The lesson? Include your opinions, but make them integral to the plot, not as a moral lecture.
What have you learned from television, books, films?
